1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to flush mounted latches and locks of the type used with closures for industrial cabinets, tool carts, electrical equipment enclosures and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to novel and improved latches and locks that utilize a highly versatile housing together with other interactive components of novel form to provide desired types of latching and locking actions.
2. Prior Art
Flush mounted latches and locks including a body, a latch bolt movably carried on the body, and an operating handle that is nested by the body are well known. Normally the handle is in a flush or nested position when the bolt is in a latched position; and unlatching movement of the bolt is effected by moving the handle to an operating position. Latches and locks of this type are well suited for use on industrial cabinets, tool carts, electrical equipment enclosures and the like.
Flush-mounted latches and locks having pan-shaped housings that nest paddle-shaped operating handles, and that have spring-projected slide bolts are disclosed in such U.S. Pat. Nos. as 4,335,595, 4,321,812, 4,320,642, 4,312,205, 4,312,204, 4,312,203, 4,312,202, 4,309,884, 4,231,597, 4,138,869, 3,707,862, 3,668,907, 3,449,005, 3,389,932, 3,357,734, 3,209,564, 3,209,563, 3,055,204, 2,987,908, 2,900,204 and 2,642,300, all of which are assigned to the Eastern Company, a corporation of Conn.
Flush mounted latches and locks having latch bolts of other than the spring-projected, slide-mounted type are disclosed in such U.S. Pat. Nos. as 4,413,849, 4,320,642, 4,312,203, 4,134,281, 3,857,594, 3,338,610, 3,044,814, 3,044,287 and 2,735,706, all of which are assigned to the Eastern Company.
A cabinet latch having a housing that is usable with a variety of pivotally mounted latch bolts, and with a variety of latching mechanisms is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,656, also assigned to the Eastern Company.
3. The Cross-Referenced Utility and Design Cases
The present invention, and the inventions described in the several referenced Utility and Design Cases, represent the work products of a long term and continuing development program.
The several functional features that form the subjects matter of the referenced Utility Cases, and the several appearance features that form the subjects matter of the referenced Design Cases, were developed by various co-workers, as is reflected in the listing of inventors in these cases. Many of the functional and appearance features that are claimed in separate ones of the referenced Utility and Design Cases were developed substantially concurrently.
If an invention feature that is disclosed in one of the referenced Utility and Design Cases constitutes a species of a development concept that is utilized in another of these related cases, it will be understood that care has been taken to present a generic claim in the case that describes the earliest development of a species that will support the generic claim. In this manner, a careful effort has been made to establish clear lines of demarcation among the claimed subjects matter of this and the several referenced Utility and Design Cases. No two of these cases include claims of identical scope.
4. The Referenced Predecessor Case
Because the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the practice of the present invention is in conjunction with the basic type of latch and lock units that are disclosed in the referenced Predecessor Case, the text of the present case tracks quite closely the text of the Predecessor Case, and the drawings that are included herewith follow in the basic format and arrangement of the drawings of the Predecessor Case. Likewise, many of the claims that follow build upon claims that have have been allowed in the Predecessor Case.
5. The Referenced Parent Cases
The lock-type embodiment that is disclosed in the referenced Predecessor Case makes use of a key cylinder retaining means that also is disclosed in the referenced Parent Cases. This fact explains, at least in part, why the Predecessor Case was filed as a continuation-in-part of the referenced Parent Cases.
However, in the preferred practice of the present invention, the means by which key cylinders and the like are retained in their associated lock housings has been changed, resulting in a simplification of the construction of the lock-type embodiment, and in enhanced ease of assembly. Thus, the referenced Parent Cases are not as relevant to the invention of the present case as they were to the Predecessor Case.